As an OOT guest, would you prefer...

hikebikebemerry

Our ceremony/cocktail hour/reception and room blocks are all in the same place, most people will be travelling from OOT. If check in time is at 4 p.m., would starting the ceremony at 4:30 or 4:45 give the guests enough time to check-in if they are travelling in the day of? This would make it so that cocktail hour would be 5-6, dinner at 6:15/6:30. 

 Or would it be nicer to start the ceremony at 5, (pushing cocktail hour back from 5:30-6:30, so dinner wouldn't be until 6:45/7)? 

 Or, should I see if we can work out a deal with the hotel to allow for an early check-in for people who will be arriving the day-of? I might have some wiggle room here, because we are getting married in the off-season of a ski resort. 

People are travelling in, so I want to make everything as easy as possible for them. 

Edited because that was not formatted to be a giant paragraph.

JennyColada

I would contact the hotel first and see if they can help you out. If they can't, I'd push the start time forward an hour to give your guests enough time.

I'd rather not be forced to rush it, personally.

Sugargirl1019

I would like to ask for an earlier check-in, personally, but its usually on an individual basis. You might ask the hotel to see what they say.

SmileDamnit

I'd push the start time back to 5:00 AND inquire about early check in. If they are traveling in, they'll likely try to get in early enough to be "safe" in case of flight delays, so the possibility of early check-in coupled with a slightly later start time will give them a bit more time to get settled before the festivities begin.

MobKaz

At almost every wedding I have attended as an OOT guest, we have been able to check in early. When I made my reservations, I called the hotel and let them know if it was at all possible, we would be arriving early and would appreciate early check-in.  I asked if that was not possible, would they at least be able to accommodate my luggage in some safe area.  

As the host of 2 weddings, I tried to determine who would be checking in the day OF the wedding, versus the night before.  I then called the hotel to notify them that there was the potential of XX number of early arrivals.  I asked if possible, to allow early check in for these guests.

Obviously, hotels cannot say which rooms will vacate early, nor guarantee that housekeeping will be able to have their maintenance complete.  However, I have found that when room blocks are made, with the advanced warning, a good hotel will try to schedule housekeeping to focus on those rooms as a priority.

PennyBlossom2311

 We are having our wedding about four hours from where FI and I live so everyone will be OOT. Since our lodging, wedding, and reception is all in one hotel, they were more than willing to accommodate an earlier arrival. Our wedding is also not during peak season and not around any holidays so they gave us an extra two hours for check-in. This gives our guests a three hour window to arrive, get settled, or showered and changed if they prefer. (I would personally rather shower and get ready after a four hour trip than before.) This will also give guests time to unpack rather than hop out of the car and go straight to the cocktail hour and not be able to check in until after your dinner or reception. It doesn't hurt to ask. The resort may be willing to allow for early check-in. I think your guests will appreciate it the extra hour. 

hikebikebemerry

Thank you so much for the feedback!  My brain kind of didn't link the two (check in and ceremony start time) for some reason.. until now.  

Luckily, the wedding isn't until November, so there is plenty of time to make sure guests are not rushed.  I'm currently leaning toward looking into early check in for the guests who are coming for just one day AND pushing the ceremony back until 5 p.m.  

Would 6:45/7:00 feel too late to start dinner?  We are going to be having PLENTY of passed apps during the cocktail hour.

MyNameIsNot

7:00 is fine to start dinner, especially with apps before.  Most people don't start dinner until 7-7:30 under normal circumstances.  

JennyColada

I agree, 7pm is fine. It might be late for some early eaters, but when you think about how most people get off work around 6:30, a 7pm dinner is usual (and early for some!).

SmileDamnit

MyNameIsNot said:

7:00 is fine to start dinner, especially with apps before.  Most people don't start dinner until 7-7:30 under normal circumstances.  

Totally agree with this. I think 6:30 - 7:30 for dinner start time is perfectly acceptable for the majority of people.

hikebikebemerry

@PennyBlossom2311

Your scenario sounds SUPER similar to ours, so thank you for your feedback!  I forget how much leverage I have with our venue.

So far, from general feedback I've been getting from FMIL was that a lot of her side of the family wants to come up to make a weekend out of it; and some of them have already blocked their rooms for Thurs/Fri-Sat night.

I know I'm being selfish here, but the big reason I was thinking a 4:00 or 4:15 ceremony would be because that's when the sun will be setting... oh well, guests come first!!

PennyBlossom2311

@ hikebikebemerry- Lol, they are pretty similar. We have several guests coming in on that Thursday too to make a whole weekend out of it. That solved some of our issue, but we do have about half that will be coming in the day of. I totally get the timing. We wanted ours ceremony be at 4:00 (weird lol) too so guests could enjoy the city after the ceremony. But after talking to some of our friends, we knew it would be easier on some people if they had time to change, take a nap, or get a late lunch. We were willing to move our ceremony back if needed. We got really lucky though. The earlier arrival time meant we got to keep our original ceremony time. If you can do an earlier check-in (even just an hour or two) you may be able to keep your ceremony at the original time as well!  

firebabe6519

hikebikebemerry said:

@PennyBlossom2311

Your scenario sounds SUPER similar to ours, so thank you for your feedback!  I forget how much leverage I have with our venue.

So far, from general feedback I've been getting from FMIL was that a lot of her side of the family wants to come up to make a weekend out of it; and some of them have already blocked their rooms for Thurs/Fri-Sat night.

I know I'm being selfish here, but the big reason I was thinking a 4:00 or 4:15 ceremony would be because that's when the sun will be setting... oh well, guests come first!!

You could always do first look at sunset before the ceremony. That way you still get the pictures you want.

hikebikebemerry

@firebabe6519

We were leaning toward doing a first look, and I think that this seals the deal on us deciding to do them.